Tamperproof valve or the like



w. J. BOWAN ETAL TAMPERPROOF' VALVE OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 19, 1950 ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 29, 1953 Patented Sept. 29, 1953 UNITED PATENT OFFICE 2,653,790 VALVE wauenn Bowman waum n. Decatur, 111., assign'ors to Mueller Decatur,- BL, a corporation! Aimutaflmmiiarna Q50 .S.e 'liel1ili.39,35fi

This invention relates to" arran ements for few dering tamper-proof devices such QISVEVQIYQS and the like. r i

Briefly, the invention contemplates fastening a retaining collar to an operated member by means of a specially arranged transverse locking pin. In particular, a transverse'pinis l ticated in a blind socket so that the pin may not 'bermfoved by driving it out. The pin is further made tamper-proof by being shielded from viewfby' a surrounding skirt which defines a recess; and in one embodimentthe location of-thepirfr' cannot "be perceived from an inspection of the outside of the device. I

The invention answers the need for ;tamper= proof features in a device such as a roufidkey stop commonly used in supply lines for domestic gas. In such apparatus, it is obviously highly desirable to prevent unauthorized opening omisassembly of the valve. Experience has shown that, although the valve may be locked to pro-'- hibit operation by turning, yet the valves are sometimes opened by removing the retaining means and therebyloosening thevalve-in its seat:

It is, therefore, an object of our invention to provide a tamper-proof valve or the like.

It is a further object'ofour invention'to provide a pin-type securing means that-cannot'be driven from its seat.

It is a still further object to provide ahiddensecuring means to prevent tampering.

Still further objects and the entire scope of the' invention will become apparent in the following description. It is to be understood that many other means of carrying out the invention will occur to those skilled in theart, and-the herein description is'by way of example onlyand-notof limitation.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a general-sideiview Ora-valve ore-type in which the invention'm'ay' be embodied.

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of Fig. -1 takenalong line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional-view takenalong 'line ii of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, similarto fligfl to' show a Slightly modifiedarrang'ement. of theplug' securing means relative to the-passagewaybf the valve plug.

A casing I is adapted to-receive and seatua tapered plug or operating member 2. The casing is provided with a-fiow channel :3, and theplug has a transverse opening 4'- toregister withrthe channel 3 when theplug is qrotatedcto :an'ton p ti h I pe in vis ofvsuch size .as-to the completely out of registry with the channel 3 tension 40 of t when-thevalve is rotated to an"ofi position. The; ping member '2 s provided with a handle -5 to facilitate its" rotationby well known external means; The casing and plug may also have corresponding locking wings 6 and 7 which have suitable openings -8-therein for the use of a padlock bolt sealor the like. The casing may have several such Wings; "whereby theplug may be secured-inseveral conditions of service; 7

plug 2 is retained in the casing l by means comprising a threaded nut '9 on a retaining exlie pl l the nut serving to hold a retaining collar =|-l against a shoulder 12 of the casing. This arrangement obviously permits rotatioh ef-the plug whileatthes'arne time preventaxial movement thereof in the casing. The nut may bedis'ioensed with, however, and other below described retaining means used in place thereon The foregoing arrangement of parts is well known inztheart-and is generally referredto as a ground lkey stop.

This invention is particularly concerned with thmovelimeans below d'escribed which are additionally employed in the retention of the plug in thelcasing. It=will be noted that the collar H is drilledto :form= whole 13. This hole may extend completely through thecollar, although in the drawingsriti'szshown':to end in a blindsocket M in one side Offth'e collar. The retainingext'ensio'n t0".ofthe1-plug- 2 .isra'lso drilled to for-m a-hole l5 for a purpose hereinafter described.

showm-best in Fig1 2, :whenthe plug is seated mime-casing, and thexcoll'ar is placed over the retaining extension and in" place against the shoulder, the holes alitand' l5 arealignedto receive a locking ,pin 1 6'. This pin will then obviouslysenvethe purpos 'of causing thecollar to turn with :the plug, and will also prevent axial nunseatingmovement of the lug. The retaining extension may also be threaded and the retam-ins rnutzascrewed unia ainst th collar to gather seat-,thesplug. .This ut-is notabsolutely necessary hpwever it being'pbviousthat the pin ll serv es 0-,holdtheparts together.- -Since the collar turns with theiplugt rotation of the latter will not tend to loosen the nut 9. Iii-the (final eqiuswnen 29 the nut an slight necessary exiaio ememfor the collar relative =toz-the extension will lie permitted: by a corresponding slight e 0 met 2 -.-9 the p nilit .ll h im lltiqfl fisdihustfar described, it is at on e :annarent :thet 211 .1 v lve is to a de r e am e -Precisocket, it cannot be readily removed by driving s lle'ib indz. Socket collar is ,.em-- n1 ..d- When .the ra n 531s .in .such a blind 3 it out, and attempts at drilling out the pin will invariably result in at least leaving an indication that the valve has been tampered with.

As a further tamper-proof feature, the casing l is made to define a recess l1, into which the collar fits, as shown best in Fig. 2. This recess wall may be cast integral with the casing, or there may be an attached sheet metal member caused to form the recess. In the latter case, the walls forming the recess may be crimped down over the collar after the pin [6 is in place. In the cast type, a hole I8 may be drilled through the wall IQ of the recess [1 in alignment with the hole I5 in the seated plug 2. Thus, when the plug and collar are in place, the pin 5 may be inserted through hole l8 and driven home, as shown. The driven end 20 of the pin I6 is then clear of the wall [9 and the'plug may be rotated. This arrangement hides the location of the pin, except when the pin is aligned with the hole [8, and therefore one desiring to remove the pin by drilling cannot know where to drill unless it is possible to destroy the external locking devices and then turn the plug until the pin appears.

It may be further desirable to so locate the pin 16 with respect to the opening 4 of plug 2, so that the pin I6 never aligns itself with the hole l8 in any of the operating positions of the valve. In Fig. 4, for example, the pin I6 is shown located at a 45 angle to the plug opening 4. It is apparent from this arrangement that when the plug is adapted for clockwise rotation to the open or on position, the pin [8 will never be observed passing the hole [8. Other angles and other locations of both the pin I6 and the hole I8 may obviously be resorted to to accomplish the same result.

It is of particular value to have the pin at an angle to the hole H3 in the positions of the plug in which the latter may be locked by external means. When the plug is so locked against rotation there is obviously no means for searching for the hole l3 by recourse to rotating the plug until the pin I9 is discovered passing the hole [3.

From the above disclosure, it is apparent that a new and useful retaining arrangement has been effected whereby it is impossible to disassemble the retaining means by usual methods, and in any event all efforts to tamper with the device will be indicated by the necessary damage to the device.

It is further apparent that when a valve embodying our invention has been tampered with there is no end play developed, even if the nut is removed or the stem twisted oif. The elimination of end play is very important when it is considered that even an unseating movement of 4, of an inch can cause a large leakage of gas, with the attendant danger of an explosion taking place.

The foregoing description is made for purposes of description only, and the invention is not to be limited to the specific embodiments shown, but is to be construed as broadly as possible within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a device of the class described, a casing, a tapered seat in said casing, a shoulder formed in the casing at the small and of the seat, a tapered plug member rotatable in the seat, a retaining extension on the small end of the tapered plug, a retaining collar, said collar being adapted to surround the said retaining extension and to ride on the said shoulder, locking means comprising a pin extending from one side of the collar through the extension and partially into the other side of the collar, the said pin ending in a blind socket in the said other side of the collar, a wall formed on the casing and extending from the said shoulder to closely surround the said collar, the wall having a single aperture therein to permit insertion of the pin into the collar and extension, whereby access to the pin is blocked when the plug is rotated to other positions.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the aperture in the recess wall and the pin are out of alignment in open and closed positions of the plug.

3. In a valve, a casing having a tapered seat, a tapered plug for use in the seat, a retaining extension on the small end of the tapered plug, a retaining collar to surround the retaining extension, a shoulder in the casing adjacent the small end of the tapered seat, said collar being adapted to ride on the shoulder, a locking pin extending through at least one side of the collar and into the extension, and a wall depending from the casing and defining a recess, said collar being closely surrounded by the said wall so that access to the pin is blocked.

4. In a valve, a casing having a tapered seat, a tapered plug for use in the seat, a retaining extension on the small end of the tapered plug, a retaining collar to surround the retaining extension, a shoulder in the casing adjacent the small end of the tapered seat, said collar being adapted to ride on the shoulder, and a locking pin extending through one side of the collar, completely through the retaining extension and ending in a blind socket in the other side of the said collar, whereby the pin cannot be driven from its seat.

5. In a valve device of the class described, a casing, a tapered seat in said casing, a bearing surface formed on the casing at and surrounding the small end of the tapered seat, a tapered valve plug member rotatable in the seat, a retaining extension on the small end of the tapered plug, the retaining extension having a first unthreaded portion and a second threaded portion, the unthreaded portion being adjacent the small end of the plug and the threaded portion being remote from the small end, a retaining collar, said retaining collar being adapted to surround the said first portion of the retaining extension and to ride on the said bearing surface, first locking means comprising a pin extending from one side of the collar through the extension and partially into the other side of the collar, the said pin ending in a blind socket in the said other side of the collar, the arrangement being such that the first locking means comprising the pin and collar will retain the tapered plug the seat, and a second locking means comprising a threaded retaining nut adapted to be drawn up on the second portion of the retaining extension to bear against the retaining collar, the second locking means comprising the retaining nut serving in cooperation with the first locking means to retain the tapered plug in the seat, the first lockin means serving to retain the plug if the retaining nut is rendered ineffective.

6. In a valve device of the class described, a casing, a tapered. seat in said casing, a bearing surface formed on the casing at the small end of the tapered seat, a tapered valve plug seated and rotatable in the seat, a retaining extension on the small end of the tapered plug, the retaining extension having a threaded portion, a retaining collar surrounding said retaining extension and engaging said bearing surface, first locking means comprising a pin inserted in apertures extending through at least one side of the collar and into the retaining extension, the arrangement being such that the first locking means comprising the pin and collar will retain the tapered plug in the seat, and a second looking means comprising a threaded retaining nut adapted to be drawn up on the threaded portion of the retainin extension to bear against the retaining collar, the second locking means serving in cooperation with the first locking means to retain the tapered plug in the seat, the first locking means serving to retain the plug if the retaining nut is rendered ineffective.

'7. A device as in claim 6 and further including a wall extending from the casing and surround ing the retainin collar, so that the position of said pin cannot be detected.

8. A device as in claim 7 and further including an aperture in the wall for insertion of the pin into the collar and retaining extension in one position of the tapered plug in the casing, the arrangement being such that the pin is out of alignment with said aperture in the Wall when the tapered plug is in other predetermined positions.

9. In a rotary plug valve having a casing provided with a tapered seat and a tapered plug rotatable therein, the combination comprisin a retaining extension on the small end of the plug, means defining an outwardly-facing bearing surface on the casing at the small end of the seat, a retaining collar on said extension and bearing against said surface, a nut threaded on said extension and bearing against said collar for drawing the plug into the seat until the sealin surfaces-of the plug and seat are in optimum engagement, and means substantially permanently securing said collar to said extension comprising a in extending transversely through at least one side of said collar and into said extension.

WALTER J. BOWAN. WALLACE GOULD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 923,090 Toback May 25, 1909 1,101,868 McCoy June 30, 1914 1,559,585 Peterson Nov. 3, 1925 1,898,577 Ford Feb. 21, 1933 2,133,580 Searle Oct. 18, 1938 2,138,767 Matthews Nov. 29, 1938 2,342,664 Haessler Feb. 29, 1944 

